Mango is BAAACK🥭

[CrazyMango]

Hello all!

It's been a long time since I've visited this site, and for a good reason! Everything is going smoothly with Mango. He is super healthy, but not yet full size. He is just about 6 months now, and I am beginning to have just a tinge of concern. His crest isn't fully developed, but his colors show really well. Still feeding him nasty stinky crickets. One thing, though, hit me pretty hard. Around February, He started being super aggressive, and wouldn't even let me hold him. It's now gotten to a point that anything which I hold, or myself, is hissed at when I enter the room, and he has scored some bites on me. Normally, I would say: "nice try, but your not hurting me", but I was kind of hurt mentally. I have trained him since he was a baby, and now all of a sudden he turns on me? What nonsense is this? I thought the teenage stage had already passed, but now he's gotten worse. Idk what to do. Any advice from you guys?

 

[Mendez]

Normally, I would say: "nice try, but your not hurting me", but I was kind of hurt mentally. I have trained him since he was a baby, and now all of a sudden he turns on me? What nonsense is this? I thought the teenage stage had already passed, but now he's gotten worse. Idk what to do.

First off, it sounds like you are doing everything right. Second off, veiled chameleons are genetically as$h0les. Some will tame down and some will want to kill you every day for the rest of your life. I'll leave the rest of this to @Beman for her anecdotes since Beman, Bane, and Bentley cover the personality spectrum quite well. (I will never get over how amazing those names are lol)

He is just about 6 months now, and I am beginning to have just a tinge of concern. His crest isn't fully developed, but his colors show really well.

Can you send pics? That way we can get a better idea of what is going on. Also, a pic of the cage would be helpful.

Still feeding him nasty stinky crickets.

Crickets really shouldn't be stinky/nasty. How are you keeping them? Also, have you tried feeding dubia roaches or black soldier fly larvae, or anything else?

 

[Beman]

Well he has not even really hit his teenage stage... 8-12 months they start really hitting maturity.

Yes they can change their personality. It can be part of wanting to mate as well. Or it can be that cage size is an issue.

What I learned having 3 is that they are all very different. What one tolerates the other may not. But what they all have in common is their ability to communicate that they do not want something even before I receive a bite. I would start reading his body language. He will tell you if he does not want to be messed with.

Do you have a pic of him and the current cage you could post?

 

[CrazyMango]

Right now it is night time, so a pic would be best tmrw. He is in a 4 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot. He has all live plants, including pothos, wandering jew, and some other plants I forget the name of(I researched it at the beginning and I know it is safe for veils). The crickets are stinky when I forget to take out a dead one lol. I have tried dubia roaches before, and I feed him superworms, black soldierfly larvae, and waxworms from time to time.

 

[Beman]

Right now it is night time, so a pic would be best tmrw. He is in a 4 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot. He has all live plants, including pothos, wandering jew, and some other plants I forget the name of(I researched it at the beginning and I know it is safe for veils). The crickets are stinky when I forget to take out a dead one lol. I have tried dubia roaches before, and I feed him superworms, black soldierfly larvae, and waxworms from time to time.

Well add pics tomorrow. They can become cage aggressive as well. It is a crap shoot with them how their personality is going to be. Veileds are known for being Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde. Kinda just gotta roll with the mood swings.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Around February, He started being super aggressive, and wouldn't even let me hold him. It's now gotten to a point that anything which I hold, or myself, is hissed at when I enter the room, and he has scored some bites on me. Normally, I would say: "nice try, but your not hurting me", but I was kind of hurt mentally. I have trained him since he was a baby, and now all of a sudden he turns on me? What nonsense is this? I thought the teenage stage had already passed, but now he's gotten worse. Idk what to do. Any advice from you guys?

I think what you thought was "teenager" might have been more like "terrible twos"(?)
Could be stages, yet could be permanent. We kinda have to accept what we get.

Does food make any difference? (Rhetorical question)

For now, all I can suggest is reviewing behavior & handling resources; you may find a clue or solution, though it'll probably still take time & patience. Just a few...

https://www.chameleonschool.com/chameleon-behavior/
https://www.petbusiness.com/pets-an...cle_d21a9470-4ec3-11eb-bb5f-f79e64748a59.html
https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-85-taming-your-chameleon/




From the archives:
https://www.google.com/search?q=vei...XaVs0KHQO2ArwQrQIoBHoECDIQBQ&biw=1024&bih=636

 

[kinyonga]

Are you sure it's a male?

 

[CrazyMango]

I'm sure he's a male, because he has the spurs on his back feet and his color is coming in. Here is a picture I was able to get of him. The picture of the cage somehow just won't upload rn, so I'll try again in a bit. I convinced him onto my hand with a cricket after about 30 minutes of him walking like a leaf, and I was bitten about a minute after on my thumb, so I put him back. btw, he destroys his pothos plant. He is shedding ATM.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Are you sure it's a male?

LOL! Now you sound like me!

He is shedding ATM.

That could definitely make him a little... (a little?) grouchy—or grouchier than usual.